The story is familiar: the life journey of a boy born into a family with meager means, who struggled hard to make something of himself, and attained in the end his dream of being a successful artist. The boy I speak of here is JERRY CONTRIDAS.

Contridas was born in Calbayog, Western Samar. His artistic ability manifested itself early, during his elementary school years. Contridas initially aspired to earn a degree in Fine Arts but was forced by his straitened circumstances to take up instead Graphic Arts and Printing Technology at the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), a course which to his mind guaranteed immediate employment upon graduation. It was a four-year course, and Contridas completed it by his own effort by working as a layout artist.